Wrapper



R. H. WILBUR Sept." 4, 1945.

WRAPPER' Filed Feb. 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 4, 1945. 'R H. wlLBUR 2,384,223

WRAPPER Filed Feb. 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lPatentedSept.'4,19i5` i Y ,'WRAPPER Ralph H. Wilbur, Melrose, Mass.; Eliza Ellen Wilbur audHarland A.

Wilbur, executors of said Ralph H. Wilbur, deceased Application February, 1942, Serial No. 429,994

12. Claims) This invention relates to an article of paper or the like designed to surround or envelop, partly orwholly, some object such as an article ofmerchandise. Exemplary embodiments of the inventionhereinafter described are statlonery envelopes and tie bands such as are used in laundries to hold laundered and ironed shirts'properly folded, but it will be apparent that theA invention can readily be embodied in other kinds of enveloping articles wherein the article is to be secured by cementing one portion thereof to another.

(Articles of this kind have previously been secured by the application thereto of an adhesive (such aspaste or glue) from an external source at the time of use. Also, suitable areas of inactive adhesive (e. g., dried glue) have been supplied on such articles to be activated by a suitable solvent (water) when wanted for use.

According to the present invention, a surrounding or enveloping article (such as an envelope, wra-pper, tie band or the like) is provided which is self-contained, i. e., needs no e tra material to be applied at the time of' use, is y, ckly and easily secured, and iseconcmical to manufacture. To

,f this end, the article is made with at least one portion folded over so as to be in face to face engagement with another'portion thereof, the mutually engaging faces having thereon respectively an area of permanentlyvsticky or tacky coating material and an area of insulating material, such as wax, which will make a weak bond with the sticky material so that the mutually engaged faces of the article can be readily pulled apart when the article is to be put to use.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description of illustrative embodiments thereof, and to the drawings of which Figure l is a rear /elevational view of an envelope embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial rear elevational view of an envelope ready for packaging.

Figure 4 is e. section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a partial elevational view of an envelope in its sealed condition.

Figure 6 is'a partial elevational view oi' a modified form of the invention.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional -view of the envelope shown in Figures 6 and l insealed condition.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a tie band embodying the invention.`

Figure 10 is a side edge view of the same.

Figure 11 is a similar view of the band ready for packaging.

Figure 12 is a side edge view of the band applied 4to an object.

Figure 13 is a plan view of a modified form of the band.' v

Figure 14 is a side edge View of the same ready for packaging.

Figurel 15 is a side edge view of the same when applied to an article.

Figures 16 and 17 are fragmentary plan views of other modified forms of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a surrounding or enveloping article in the form of astationery envelope l0 having the usual side flaps l2, a lower ap Il extending up from the lower edge of the envelope, and an upper flap i2 which is foldable down to overlap the upper portion of the lower flap I4 to seal the envelope. The upper end portion or tab 20 of the lower flap i4, according to the invention, is folded down against the adjacent portion 22. The upper flap I6 is of sufilcient length to overlie the folded tab 20 as indicated in Figures 3 and 4. When the flap is thus folded down, the tab 2li lies between a portion of the flap It and the adjacent portion 22 of the lower flap il, these three parts of the envelope being thus in face to face engage-1, ment. One or both of the faces of the tab 20 are coated with suitable insulating material which i's sticky coating material which is applied to `other ./'surfaces ofthe envelope as hereinafter described. The term insu1ation" as hereinafter used in the specific/ation and claims is intended to refer to such material as does not appreciabiy adhere to sticky adhesive material. For this purpose, I may employ materials which are of waxy, greasy or oily character-parailln wax being desirable by reason of its availability and low cost.

The face or faces of the flap IB and portion 22 of the flap Ilwhich are'engaged by the waxed face or faces of the tab 2li are provided with one or .more areas of permanently sticky adhesive material from which the waxed surface can readily be separated but which will make a firm rbond with any portion of the envelope not protected by such insulating coating. For example, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the inner face of Athe folded tab 2li is coatedlwith waxy insulating material as at 2l. The face of the adjacent portion 1 and 2, fwith the aid of the extreme end portion of the tab which extends beyond the sticky area 26 and is thus free and is easily grasped. Then the flap i6 is folded dofwn so that its end por-` tion engages the gummed area 26 and permanently adheres thereto.

In some cases it may be desired to provide a yfirmer bond by constructing the envelope so that, when it is sealed, two pre-coated areas are brought into face to face lengagement with each v other to make the sealing bond, these areas being coated with suitable, permanently sticky, adhesive material. Such an envelope is illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 wherein a coating of permanently sticky gum 30 is applied to the portion of the iiap I8 which engages the folded tab 20. In this case, both surfaces of the fold of the tab 20 are coated with insulating material 24 and 3| such as wax so that' the gummed surface l0 normally engages the insulated outer lface of the folded tab 2li. When the tab 20 is swung up to its position in the plane of the flap I4,the gummed coating 28 on the portion 22 is thereupon exposed for engagement by the coated area lli when the flap II is folded down. This brings two4 gummed .areas into mutual engagement to form a firm sealing bond as indicated in Figure 8.

If desired, when the flap Il is provided with a gum-med coating 30 and the outer face of the folded tab 20 is coated with wax or other insulating material l I, the wax coating on the inner face of the tab and the gum coating on the portion I2' of the nap I4 may be omitted. In such case, the gummed area 30 will normally engage the waxed outer face oi' the tab 20, but when the envelope is to be sealed the tab 2| is swung up to expose an uncoated area of the flap I4 for engagement by the gummed area 30.

Instead of waxy or greasy preparations for in'- sulating areas of the flap 20, I may use any other equivalent surface such as will make only a weak bond with the sticky material used on engaged .50 faces. For example, the smooth side f holland cloth or a suitably glazed paper surface may be sumciently non-adherent to the sticky material to serve as an insulated surface.

Any suitable, `permanently sticky, adhesive gum may be employed in the manner hereinbefore described. Several such adhesives are well known inthe art and may include glues of various kinds, resins or resin derivatives, or any other suitable substances which may be mixed with other substances to provide a permanently sticky adhesive suitable for coating. For example, I may prepare a gum of this description by soaking l pounds of glue in 20 pounds of water, sumcient heat being applied to form a solution. To this solution is added 21 pounds of yellow glycerine.

After the glycerine has been thoroughly mixed in', 5 pounds of water are added. This produces a permanently sticky adhesive which may have to be thinned by the addition of more water for application to certain types of paper surfaces. f

Figures 9 to 12 inclusive illustrate another embodiment of the invention consisting of a tie band such as is used in merchandising certain articles such as gloves, neckties, socks and the like, or by laundries in holding laundered or ironed shirts in folded position. Bands 0f this 'kind are preferably provided with one or more adhesive areas by 'which the ends of the bands 5 can be attached when the band is applied to merchandise lwhich it surrounds. According tothe present invention, a permanently sticky adhesive area is supplied on one face of one'extremi-ty or end portion ofthe band, this end portion 'being folded over against a closely adjacent portion of the band so as to be in face to face engagement therewith. The engaged face of such adjacent portion is previously coated with suitable insulation such as wax or an equivalent so that 'whatever bond is created by the adhesive lbetween the folded ta'b and the body of the strip is very weak. The separation of the sticky surface from the insulation is easily accomplished by grasping with the finger and thumb a vfree ungummed tab at the extremity of the gummed end portion and drawing it in the direction of theother end'of the band when it is stretched around the article. sion overcomes the weak bond between -the gummed portion and the insulated surface. 'Ihis obviates the necessity of first folding the end section back. Thus as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a band 40 is provided having an end portion 42 with an area 44 of permanently adhesive gum. 30 Adjacent to the end portion 42 is another portion 48 having an insulation coating 48 of wax or an equivalent. When the band is prepared for packing with other similar bands, the end portion 42 is folded over against adjacent portion 48 as indicated in 'Figure 11, the entire sticky area 44 being against the waxed area 48. "Ihe sticky area 44 is preferably spacedfrom the adjacent side and end edges of the strip, as shown in Figure 9, leaving an ungummed end area 50 and ungummed marginal areas 5|. The end area l0 provides a free tab which can readily be grasped lby the operator when it is desiredl to pull the tab 42 free from the portion 46. 'Ihis is done as the band is being applied to the object I2 which is to be embraced thereby as illustrated in Figure 12. The-gummed area 42 is thus readily exposed for application to the opposite end portion of the band. As this end portion is not insulated,` a good bond is produced.

The uncoated margins 5I obviate the necessity ior accurate registration of the end portions which are brought together. Accurate registration would be necessary if the sticky coating extended to the edges as otherwise some of the coated area would comeinto contact with the merchandise.v Such gum-free margins are also advantageous in the manufacture of the bands if they are cut from sheets after the gum has been applied. The knife would then cut through gum-free areas.

If itis desired to make the bond by applying two gummed areas to each other, both ends of the'band may be treated as hereinbefore described, the end portions being folded against the opposite faces of the body of the band; Thus, as illustrated in Figures 13 and 14, a gummed area 44 is folded over against an insulated area 48. At the other end of the band 40 a gummed area 54 on the under face of the strip is folded under so as to engage an insulated area 56 which is also on the under face of the band. 'I'he extremities of both folded portions are preferably left uncoated so as to provide finger tabs to facilitate grasping the folded portions. Whenthe 4band is applied to ascuas an article of merchandise, the folded end portions are pulled back to expose their sticky areas. 7

These areas are then brought into faceto face ure 15. i

Instead of the single areall'or of stickyl coating. a plurality of smaller areas may be provided, two'such areas Il being shown in Figure 16 by way of example.

For some purposes it may be desirable to extend the sticky coating to the 'edges of the band as illustrated at I2 in Figure 17.'

Figure 18 illustrates a tie band characterized by an area 44 of material which is not generally tacky or adhesive but which is cohesive in the sense that it holds strongly to a similarly coated area when pressed thereagainst, the coating on one area thus cohering with the coating on the other area. For this purpose I use a rubberfree coating material which is generally nonadherent, but which sticks to another similar coating when brought into contact therewith. Neoprene latex, a lso called synthetic rubber put out by the Du Pont Company, is such a material and is one which I have foundeminently satisfactory. End areas 5l and marginal areas 42 may be left uncoated as hereinbefore described. Since in this embodiment of the invention the coated areas are not adhesive, no insulated areas are ordinarily required, provided that the bands are packed in such a way that the coated areas do not touch any other coated areas. .In some cases, however, it may be preferred to provide insulated areas in registry with the coated areas at opposite sides of the strip from the respective coated areas to be engaged by the coated areas Il of adjacent strips in the package. As indicated in Figure 19, bands having a coating of cohesive (as distinguished from adhesive) material may be packaged flat, that is, without preliminary folding; and this may be done whether or not the bands are provided with the insulation 06 shown in that iigure.

It is evident that various modifications and changes may be made in the embodiments of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An envelope including a lower flap having its upper end portion folded back so as to be in face to face engagement with an adjacent portion thereof, and an upper flap extending down to engage upon said/folded portion of the lower flap, one of the faces of said folded portion of the lower flap having a coating of waxy insulating material thereon, the surface engaged by said coated face being coated with a permanently sticky adhesive material.

2. An envelope including a lower flap having its upper end portion folded back so as to be in face to face engagement with an adjacent portion thereof, and an upper flap extending down to engage upon said folded portion of the lower flap, both faces of said folded portion of the lower nap being coated with waxy insulating material, the surfaces engaged by said coated faces having areas of permanently sticky adhesive coating thereon.

3. An envelope including a lower ap having its upper end portion folded back so as to be in face to face engagement with an adjacent portion thereof, and an upper flap extending down to engage upon said folded portion of the lower y flap, said adjacent portion of the lower flap having an area of permanently sticky coating material thereon, the opposed face of said folded portion of the `.1owe r flap having a wax coating thereon to facilitate separation of the mutually engaged faces.

4. A tie band comprising a strip of flexible material having one extremity folded over against a closely adjacent portion of -the body, which is remote from the opposite extremity and in face to face engagement therewith, the engaged face of said extremity having an area coated with permanently sticky adhesive, the engaged face of said adjacent portion having a coating of insulating material which is substantially non-adherent to said adhesive.

5. A tie band comprising a strip of flexible material having one extremity folded over against a closely adjacent portion of the body, which is remote from the opposite extremity and in face to face engagement therewith, the engaged face of said extremity having an area coated with permanently sticky adhesive, the engaged face of said adjacent portion having a coating of wax thereon.

6. A tie band comprising a strip of flexible material having one end portion folded over against the obverse face of the adjacent body portion and in face to face engagement therewith, the other end portion of the strip being folded under against the reverse face of the body portion adjacent thereto and in face to face engagement therewith, the engaged face of each said end portion having an area coated with a permanently sticky adhesive material, the engaged face of each said adjacent portion having a coating of material which is substantially nonadherent to said adhesive material.

7. A tie band comprising a strip of flexible material having its opposite extremities bent back in respectively opposite directions upon the respectively adjacent portions of the strip and in face to face engagement therewith, the engaged face of each said extremity having an area of permanently sticky coating thereon spaced from the adjacent edge of the strip to provide an uncoated end tab to be gripped by the fingers of an operator, the engaged faces of said adjacent portions of the strip having a coating of waxy material which is substantially non-adherent to said sticky coating.

8. A Atie band comprising a-strip of flexible material having anv end portion folded over against a closely adjacent area of the strip and in face to face engagement therewith, the engaged face of said end portion having thereon a 'plurality of permanently sticky areas thereon spaced from each other and from thev adjacent end and side edges of the strip, the engaged area of said adjacent portion having thereon a coating of material which is substantially non-adherent to said sticky areas.

9. A tie band having adjacent to each end an area having a rubber-freecoating which is substantially non-adherent but which will cohere with a similar coating when brought into contact therewith.

l0. A tie band having on opposite faces and adjacent respectively to opposite ends a rubberfree coating consisting essentially of an intimate mixture of glue and glycerine.

l1. An article of paper or other thin 'flexible material adapted to be put in .surrounding rela- "tion with ether things vwith apposite extremities oi' said article overlapping and bonded together, one of the end portions of said article having on contiguous areas of one surface thereof a. coating of permanently adhesive material and a coating of material which is substantially non-adherent to said adhesive respectively,v smidv extremity, when the article is not in use, beingl folded between the said. contiguous areas so that the areas are in face to face contact and the adhesive costing is protected from contact with other surfaces. l v

172. An article of paper, or other ilexiblc. material'adaptedto be put in surrounding'v relation with other things with opposite; extremities of said article overlapping.V and bonded together.

oneof the end' portionsot said article@ having on contiguous areas of onesurface'cthereot. a-

coating ot permanentlyl adhesivefmaterial `and .a coating ofvwax, and vbeing,folcied.xox raline between said areas so that the-adhesive-andlwax l0 coatings are in face to face engagement-y naman l 

